The effects of sewage sludge application and the additional effects of clearfelling on nutrient cycling have been assessed in a mature Scots pine stand, north-east Scotland. The forest site was situated in a low rainfall area with high evapotranspiration and low leaching losses. The ground vegetation formed an important sink for N and P following sludge addition and clearfelling. Sludge application caused a foliar N response, increased foliar needle weight, and litterfall showed a significant and rapid potential to immobilize NH4-N and PO4-P added in sludge. The soil availability of NH4-N and PO4-P together with rates of mineralization of N and P and nitrification in sludge-treated areas were significantly increased compared with that of the control. Concentrations of NH4-N, NO3-N, PO4-P and organic P were increased significantly following sludge addition and fluxes were an order of magnitude greater than that of the control. Peaks in concentrations of NH3-N in sludge-treated areas exceeded the EC limit of 11.3 mg 1-1 on several occasions. Of the total N and P applied to the sludge, throughfall and litterfall over a 17 month period, 2.4 % and 0.72 % were measured in the Bs soil horizon flux. After clearfelling, initial increases in soil availability of NH4-N, NO3-N andPO4-P were measured. Felling increased nitrification rates, although increases were significant only in areas previously treated with sludge. Fluxes of NO3-N, NH4-N and PO4-P and organic P were increased at least an order of magnitude greater in felled areas than those of the control. Immobilization of N and P was greater in green and abscised litters placed in previously sludge-treated areas than compared with those placed in control areas.